Scottish Political Press Releases — Donald Dewar's Speech

Text of speech by the First Minister, the Rt Hon Donald Dewar
MSP, Bute House, Edinburgh, 17 May 1999.

The first six words of the Scotland Act read simply: 'There
shall be a Scottish Parliament'.

We must not forget the reasons that lie behind those words from
the start of the Scotland Act.

It was because of the General Election in May 1997. It was
because of the Referendum in September 1997. And it was because of
the votes of the Scottish people on May 6th this year, that
Scotland started being a very different place.

It was because of those achievements that I am able to announce
our team in Government.

And it was because of those six simple words that Scottish
politics were forever changed.

We — the Scottish Labour Party working in partnership with the
Liberal Democrats in our first ever democratic Parliament here in
Scotland — are united in our determination to do better for the new
Scotland.

Our shared objectives of social justice and economic success for
all may not be secured overnight but they must be the abiding
legacy of my first government.

As a team, this first Executive will lead the new Scotland into
the new Century — and I am determined that we must make the new
Scotland a showpiece for social justice and for economic
success.

I am determined that this partnership Government — Labour
working with the Liberal Democrats in partnership for the children
of Scotland — will turn around our failing schools, will narrow the
disparities in our education system and will build Scottish public
schools fit for the task of educating Scotland's children.

I also want this Executive and the Parliament working together
in partnership — united by a determination to build an inclusive
and generous spirited new Scotland.

The new Scotland still needs to work hard at including all of
our people and all of our communities in government and in the new
civic institutions that we build here.

I will work to speed up the process of involving as many people
as possible in the decisions affecting their lives.

I set out these aims and ambitions for the Scottish Executive
and the Scottish Parliament.

I invite all members of the Parliament to work together with the
Government I have just announced so that together we might achieve
these ambitions and continue the business of delivering the real
and lasting changes that the people of Scotland demand and
deserve.